Oman Cement which currently operates with an installed production capacity of 1.6Mta saw its production output decline to 405,267t during the first three months of 2005 from 412,260t a year ago, prompting the firm to import some 41,183t of cement to meet high demand due to several housing and infrastructure projects.  As a result, Oman Cement recently decided to expand it production output by another 1.4Mta in order to meet increasing domestic and international demand. According to Jamal Shamis al-Hooti, Oman Cement’s Chief Executive Officer, the capital expenditure on the planned upgrade project will largely depend on the selected technology.